Chair



, March 13, 1945. H. P. NORDMARK 2,371,256

CHAIR Filed NOV. 30, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l V INVENTOR Wv m 5 S jf l? jl/ordznaglf BYFEJUSWRK ATTORNEYS March 13, 1945. NQRDMARK 2,371,256

' CHAIR Filed NOV. 50, 1940 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3- mJlg E F] 9i Wxxassr INVENTOR ATTORNEY'S.

Marc h-13, 1945. H. P. NORDMARK 2,371,256

CHAIR Filed Nov. 30, 1940 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WQKM, ssz I 3mm i /so fenr y P Mrdmarlc Patented Mar. 13; 1945 I CHAIR. Henry P. Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seatin ids, Mich., a corporati g Company, Grand Raponof New Jersey Application November 30, 1940, Serial No. 368,010

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly to those of the so-called opera type. l

The primary objects of'the instant invention are to provide a chair of the general character a above indicated having a seatwhich is rearwardly movable, on a substantially horizontal plane for a limited distance; to provide such a chair whose seat is upwardly tiltable as well as rearwardly horizontally movable; to provide such a chair whose-back is 50 connected with the seat that a rearward movement of the seat effects a slight forward movement of the upperend of the back and a slight rearward movement of the bottom end thereof; to provide such a chair which when installed as one in a plurality of rows of like chairs and which when occupied provides .for

ready and convenient egress from and ingress to unoccupied seats in the same row without seriously disturbing the occupant of such an occupied chair or the occupant of a chair immediately rearwardly of such occupied chair; and, to provide such a chair which is comfortable and convenient in use, relatively simple in mechanical construction and reasonably economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair showing the seat thereof in its upwardly folded position;

Figure 2 is a side .elevational view of the chair showing in full lines the positionof the seat and back in its normally occupied position and showing in dotted lines the. position the seat and back assumes in instances whereinthe occupant thereof has moved the seat and back to permit someone to pass before him;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing the position of the seat and the back of the chair as it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2;

Figure 4 i an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view showing particularly the mechanically moving parts of the chair in their normal position or when the chair is occupied;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view similar to Figure 4 but showing the mechanically moving parts in the position they assume when the seat is bodily rearwardly moved;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5; i t

Figure 7 is a sectional view thereof on line 'I-'l of Figure 5;

Figure 8, is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Figure 5; and V Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view on line Ill-I001 Figure 2.

Referring then to the drawings wherein like parts of the structure-shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the chair there illustrated is of the opera type and isvintended for installation in a row of similar chairs in theatres, auditoriums or the like. The

chair comprises a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards II] with arm rests ll secured to the upper ends of each standard in any suitable manner.

A bracket l2 having a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed ears I4 is secured to the inner side surface of each standard between which ears one end of a link l5 of a toggleis pivotally mounted. The other link l6 of each tag-- gle extends rearwardly horizontally and is pivotally secured between a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed ears I! of a generally T- shaped seat support 18. p v p A seat I9 is pivotally secured between the upper ends of each seat support l8 by a pivot pin 2|] to permit its upwardly folding or tilting movement and a rod 2| is secured between the lee ends of each seat support for strengthening purposes and to prevent torsional twist and racking between the seat supports. One end of. a link 22 of a vertically movable toggle hinge is pivotally secured to the lower end of each seat support l3 and the other link 23 of each toggle hinge is pivotally secured-to the inner side surface of its adjacent standard below the vertically spaced horizontally disposed ears l4.

A rod 24 is secured at its opposite ends between the pair of spaced toggle hinge links 22 and a similarrod 25 is secured at its opposite ends between the companion pair of spaced hinge links 23'which rods 24, 25 together with their opposite pairs ofvertically movable toggle links 22, 23

form hinges for equalizing the horizontal forward-rearward movement of the seat I 9 supported on the spaced seat supports IR.

A pair of arms 26 each fixedly secured to an opposite side of the chair back 2! are each pivotally secured at their lower ends to the seat support l8 therebelow by means of the pivot pin 20 on which the seat [9 is tiltable and a pair of arms 28 each pivotally secured at its lower end to the inside surface of a standard II] by means of a pivot pin 29 are each pivotally secured at their upper ends to an arm 26 at the side of the chair back 21 by a pivot pin 30 whereby a rearward bodily movement of the eat I 9 by its occupant irom its position shown in full lines in Figure 2 to its position shown in dotted lines in the same view will effect a movement of the back 21 from its osition shown in full lines to its position shown in dotted lines.

Thus and in operation, bodily movement of the seat l9 and back 21 by the occupant of the chair from their respective positions Shown in full lines in Figure 2 to their respective positions shown in dotted lines in the same view efiects a substantial rearward movement of the seat It with relatively slight movement of the back 21, providing for ready and convenient egress from and ingress to unoccupied seats in the same row without seriously disturbing the occupant of such a chair or the occupant of a chair immediately rearwardly thereof.

Since each pair of spaced toggle links I5, it are disposed substantially horizontally, the seat I9 is forwardly-rearwardly movable on a substantially horizontal plane and since each pair of toggle hinges 22, 23 which are respectively secured together by their connecting rods 24, 25 and are thus vertically movable together, the forwardrearward movement of the seat 19 is equalized on its opposite sides.

It will therefore be seen that the chair herein shown and described is convenient in use, relatively simple in mechanical construction and reasonably economical in manufacture and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a pair of toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard in a manner permitting a forward-rearward movement of each seat support; and equalizing means for insuring a like forward-rearward movement of the seat supports comprising a second pair of toggles movable transversely of the first pair of toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, one link of one of the second pair of toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other second pair of toggles by a strut.

2. In a chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a pair of horizontally swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard; and equalizing means for insuring a like forward-rearward movement of the seat supports comprising a pair of vertically swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, each link of one 01 the vertically swingable toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other vertically swingable toggle by a strut.

3. A chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a seat pivotally mounted upon the seat supports; a pair of horizontally swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard; and equalizing means for insuring a like forward-rearward movement of the seat supports comprising a pair of vertically swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard andthe other of'its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, each link of one of the vertically swingable toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other vertically swingable toggle by a strut.

4. In a chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a pair of toggles, each havin one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard in a manner permitting a forward-rearward movement of each seat support; equalizing means for insuring a like forward-rearward movement of the seat supports comprising a second pair of toggles movable transversely of the first pair of toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a. standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, one link of one of the second pair of toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other second pair of toggles by a strut; a back pivotally mounted between the seat supports; and a pair of arms, each pivotally connected at one of its ends to the back and at the other of its ends to a standard.

5. In a chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a pair of horizontally swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard; equalizing means for insuring a like forwardrearward movement of the seat supports comprising a pair of vertically swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, each link of one of the vertically swingable toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other vertically swingable toggle by a strut; a back pivotally mounted between the seat supports; and a pair of arms, each pivotally con nected at one of its ends to the back and at the other of its ends to a standard.

6. A chair having a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards; a pair of spaced seat supports disposed between the pair of standards; a seat pivotally mounted upon the seat supports; a pair of horizontally swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard; equalizing means for insuring a like forward-rearward movement of the seat supports comprising a pair of vertically swingable toggles, each having one of its links pivotally connected to a standard and the other of its links pivotally connected to the seat support adjacent such standard, each link of one of the vertically swingable toggles being connected to the corresponding link of the other vertically swingable toggle by a strut; a back pivotally mounted between the seat supports; and a pair of arms, each pivotally connected at one of its ends to the back and at the other of its ends to a standard.

HENRY P. NORDMARK. 

